Sheet separation device, laminator, image forming apparatus, and image forming system

ABSTRACT

A sheet separation device separates a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet separation device includes a winding roller, a conveyance roller pair, and a separation claw. The winding roller rotates and winds the two-ply sheet. The conveyance roller pair conveys the two-ply sheet toward the winding roller. The separation claw is inserted into a gap between the two sheets at a position between the winding roller and the conveyance roller pair. The separation claw is disposed in a space that is bounded by an imaginary plane and includes the winding roller. The imaginary plane passes through a nip of the conveyance roller pair and a winding start position at which the two-ply sheet starts to be wound around the winding roller.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to a sheet separation device configured to separate a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet, a laminator including the sheet separation device, an image forming apparatus including the sheet separation device, such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, and a multi-functional apparatus having at least two functions of the copier, the printer, and the facsimile machine, and an image forming system including the sheet separation device.

BACKGROUND ART

A sheet separation device (i.e. a laminator) separates a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet (for example, see PTL1 (JP-2006-160429-A)). Specifically, the laminator in PTL1 includes the sheet separation device that separates two sheets of a laminated sheet that is a two-ply sheet in which one sides of the two sheets are bonded, and inserts protective paper that is an insertion sheet therebetween.

In a technique disclosed in PTL1, one suction device sucks one of the two sheets of the laminated sheet (that is the two-ply sheet) in which the one sides of the two sheets are bonded, and the other suction device sucks the other sheet of the two sheets. As a result, two sheets are separated.

Citation List Patent Literature

[PTL 1] JP-2006-160429-A

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

Conventional sheet separation devices are large and expensive because the sheet separation devices use large devices such as two suction devices to separate two sheets constituting a two-ply sheet.

Solution to Problem

This disclosure is made in light of solving the above-described problems, and an object of this disclosure is to provide a sheet separation device, a laminator, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming system, which can preferably separate two sheets constituting the two-ply sheet without increasing the size of the separation device.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a sheet separation device is configured to separate a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The sheet separation device includes a winding roller, a conveyance roller pair, and a separation claw. The winding roller rotates and winds the two-ply sheet. The conveyance roller pair conveys the two-ply sheet toward the winding roller. The separation claw is inserted into a gap between the two sheets at a position between the winding roller and the conveyance roller pair. The separation claw is disposed in a space that is bounded by an imaginary plane and includes the winding roller. The imaginary plane passes through a nip of the conveyance roller pair and a winding start position at which the two-ply sheet starts to be wound around the winding roller.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

Embodiments of this disclosure can provide a sheet separation device, a laminator, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming system, which can preferably separate two sheets constituting a two-ply sheet without increasing the size of the sheet separation device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are intended to depict example embodiments of the present invention and should not be interpreted to limit the scope thereof. The accompanying drawings are not to be considered as drawn to scale unless explicitly noted. Also, identical or similar reference numerals designate identical or similar components throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating an overall configuration of a sheet separation device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2A is a side view illustrating a gripper that has moved to a gripping position in the sheet separation device illustrated in FIG. 1 , and FIG. 2B is a side view illustrating the gripper that has moved to a releasing position in the sheet separation device illustrated in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3A is a perspective view illustrating the gripper that has moved to the gripping position in the sheet separation device illustrated in FIG. 1 , and FIG. 3B is a perspective view illustrating the gripper that has moved to the releasing position in the sheet separation device illustrated in FIG. 1 .

FIGS. 4A to 4D are schematic views illustrating operations of the sheet separation device illustrated in FIG. 1 .

FIGS. 5A to 5D are schematic views illustrating operations of the sheet separation device, subsequent to the operations of FIGS. 4A to 4D.

FIGS. 6A to 6C are schematic views of the sheet separation device illustrating operations of the sheet separation device, subsequent to the operations of FIGS. 5A to 5D.

FIGS. 7A to 7C are schematic views of the sheet separation device illustrating operations of the sheet separation device, subsequent to the operations of FIGS. 6A to 6C.

FIGS. 8A to 8C are schematic views of the sheet separation device illustrating operations of the sheet separation device, subsequent to the operations of FIGS. 7A to 7C.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating separation claws inserted into a two-ply sheet in a width direction of the two-ply sheet.

FIGS. 10A to 10C are perspective views illustrating operations of the separation claws in the width direction.

FIG. 11 including FIGS. 11A and 11B is a flowchart illustrating control performed in the sheet separation device.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view illustrating a positional relationship among a winding roller, a conveyance roller pair, and the separation claws.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view illustrating a laminator according to a first variation.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view illustrating an image forming apparatus according to a second variation.

FIG. 15 is a schematic view illustrating an image forming system according to a third variation.

FIGS. 16A and 16B are schematic views illustrating examples of a driving device to move the separation claws.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

In describing embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of this specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that have a similar function, operate in a similar manner, and achieve a similar result.

With reference to the drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. Identical reference numerals are assigned to identical components or equivalents and a description of those components is simplified or omitted.

A configuration and operations of a sheet separation device 1 are described below with reference to FIG. 1 .

The sheet separation device 1 separates a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet PJ in which two sheets P1 and P2 are overlapped and bonded together at a bonding portion A (see FIG. 4A) of the two-ply sheet. The two-ply sheet PJ in the present embodiment is made of two sheets P1 and P2 overlapped and bonded together at one side of four sides as the bonding portion A. That is, in the two-ply sheet PJ made of two sheets P1 and P2, only one sides of the two sheets P1 and P2 are connected by thermal welding or the like as the bonding portion A, and the other sides of the two sheets P1 and P2 are overlapped and not connected as non-bonding portions. As the two sheets P1 and P2 constituting the two-ply sheet PJ, a transparent film sheet (that is, a laminate sheet) may be used.

The two-ply sheet PJ may be made by folding a single sheet. In the present disclosure, the two-ply sheet PJ made by folding a single sheet is also defined as the two sheets overlapped, a folded portion of the folded single sheet is defined as the bonding portion, and the other portions are defined as the non-bonding portions.

Between the winding roller 20 and the third conveyance roller pair 6, the sheet separation device 1 separates the two sheets P1 and P2 constituting the tow-ply sheet PJ at the non-bonding portion. The sheet separation device 1 separates the two sheets P1 and P2 around the bonding portion A that maintains bonding the two sheets P1 and P2. Subsequently, the sheet separation device 1 inserts an insertion sheet PM between the separated two sheets P1 and P2. The insertion sheet PM is a sheet such as one plain sheet.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the sheet separation device 1 includes a first feed tray 11, a second feed tray 12, a first feed roller 2, a second feed roller 3, a first conveyance roller pair 4, a second conveyance roller pair 5, a third conveyance roller pair 6, an ejection tray 13, a first sensor 41, a second sensor 42, a third sensor 43, a fourth sensor 44, a fifth sensor 45, a winding roller 20, a moving mechanism 30, a switching claw 15, separation claws 16, a first guide 25 as an inner limiter, a second guide 26 as an outer limiter, and a third guide 27. Additionally, the sheet separation device 1 includes a plurality of conveyance paths such as a first conveyance path K1, a second conveyance path K2, a third conveyance path K3, a first branched conveyance path K4, and a second branched conveyance path K5. The above-described conveyance paths K1 to K5 each include two conveyance guides (that are guide plates) facing each other to guide and convey the sheet such as the two-ply sheet PJ or the insertion sheet PM.

Specifically, the two-ply sheet PJ is stacked on the first feed tray 11. The first feed roller 2 feeds the uppermost two-ply sheet PJ on the first feed tray 11 to the first conveyance roller pair 4, and the first conveyance roller pair 4 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ along the first conveyance path K1.

The insertion sheet PM is stacked on the second feed tray 12. The second feed roller 3 feeds the uppermost insertion sheet PM on the second feed tray 12 to the second conveyance path K2.

Each of the first to third conveyance roller pairs 4 to 6 includes a drive roller and a driven roller each having an elastic layer made of rubber or the like formed on a core, and conveys the sheet nipped in a nip between the drive roller and the driven roller. The third conveyance path K3 is a path from the second conveyance roller pair 5 to the third conveyance roller pair 6 and includes, from the upstream side, the second conveyance roller pair 5, the winding roller 20, and the third conveyance roller pair 6. The third conveyance roller pair 6 is configured to be able to rotate in forward or in reverse, rotates in forward to convey the sheet in forward, and rotates in reverse to convey the sheet in reverse. The third conveyance roller pair 6 also functions as an ejection roller pair that ejects the sheet to the ejection tray 13.

Each of the first to fifth sensors 41 to 45 is a reflective photosensor that optically detects whether the sheet is present at the position of each sensor. The first sensor 41 is disposed in the vicinity of the downstream side of the first conveyance roller pair 4. The second sensor 42 is disposed in the vicinity of the downstream side of the second feed roller 3. The third sensor 43 is disposed between the second conveyance roller pair 5 and the winding roller 20 in the vicinity of the downstream side of the second conveyance roller pair 5. The fourth sensor 44 serving as a sheet detection sensor is disposed upstream the third conveyance roller pair 6 in the vicinity of the downstream side of the winding roller 20. The fifth sensor 45 is disposed downstream the third conveyance roller pair 6.

The winding roller 20 is described below with reference to FIGS. 2, 3A, and 3B, (and FIGS. 5B to 5D and FIG. 6A).

In the winding roller 20, a gripper 32 that is one example of a gripper grips a gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ at a winding start position W. The gripped portion B is one end of the two-ply sheet PJ that is opposite an end at which the bonding portion A is formed. While the gripper 32 grips the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ, the winding roller 20 rotates in a predetermined rotation direction to wrap the two-ply sheet PJ around the winding roller 20. The winding roller 20 can rotate about a rotation shaft 20 a in forward and in reverse.

A controller controls a drive motor that drives the winding roller 20. The controller includes one or more processing circuits or circuitry. Processing circuitry includes a programmed processor, as a processor includes circuitry. A processing circuit also includes devices such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and conventional circuit components.

Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 1 , the two-ply sheet PJ starts from the first feed tray 11 and passes through the first conveyance path K1, and the second conveyance roller pair 5 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ in the forward direction along the third conveyance path K3. The two-ply sheet passes through a position of the winding roller 20 once and is conveyed to a position of the third conveyance roller pair 6. Thereafter, the third conveyance roller pair 6 rotates in reverse to convey the two-ply sheet PJ to the position of the winding roller 20. The gripper 32 grips the two-ply sheet PJ and the winding roller 20 rotates counterclockwise to wrap the two-ply sheet PJ around the winding roller 20.

With reference to FIG. 5C', the linear velocity of the sheet P1 and the linear velocity of sheet P2 each are proportional to a distance from the center of the winding roller 20 to each of the sheets P1 and P2 like the linear velocity of the roller surface that is proportional to the radius of the roller when the two-ply sheet PJ is wrapped around the winding roller 20. Therefore, the linear velocity of the sheet P1 is slower than the linear velocity of the sheet P2 because the sheet P1 is nearer from the center of the winding roller 20 than the sheet P2. The slower sheet P1 that is referred to as a first sheet P1 is more likely to slacken than the sheet P2 that is referred to as a second sheet P2. As illustrated in FIGS. 5D and 6A, the upper first sheet P1 is bent upward and forms a gap C between the two sheets P1 and P2 in the vicinity of the bonding portion A that is referred to as the other end of the two-ply sheet PJ. As described above, the two sheets P1 and P2 that are in close contact with each other without any gap are separated from each other.

The following additionally describes a mechanism that winding the two-ply sheet PJ around the winding roller 20 generates the gap C in the two-ply sheet PJ between the winding roller 20 and the third conveyance roller pair 6.

In the two-ply sheet PJ wound around the winding roller 20, the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ gripped by the gripper 32 does not generate a slip between the sheets P1 and P2. However, winding the two-ply sheet PJ around the winding roller 20 generates the difference in winding circumferential length between the two sheets P1 and P2 and, therefore, causes a slip between the two sheets P1 and P2, and a conveyance amount of the inner sheet P1 is smaller than a conveyance amount of the outer sheet P2. As a result, slack occurs in the inner sheet P1 between the nip of the third conveyance roller pair 6 and the winding roller 20. Winding the two-ply sheet PJ around the winding roller 20 one or more times additionally generates the difference in winding circumferential length between the inner circumference and the outer circumference by the thickness of the sheet and increases the slack.

Finally, the slack is accumulated between the third conveyance roller pair 6 and the winding roller 20, and the gap C is formed between the two sheets P1 and P2.

Specifically, a distance from the rotation shaft 20 a (i.e. the center of the shaft) of the winding roller 20 to the outer sheet P2 is R + ΔR when a distance from the rotation shaft 20 a (i.e. the center of the shaft) of the winding roller 20 to the inner sheet P1 is R, and the thickness of the inner sheet P1 is ΔR. The difference between a radius of the inner sheet P1 wound around the winding roller 20 and a radius of the outer sheet P2 wound around the inner sheet P1, that is, the thickness of the inner sheet P1 ΔR, generates a circumferential length difference of 2 × ΔR × π when the two-ply sheet PJ is wound around the winding roller 20 by one round. Therefore, winding the two-ply sheet PJ around the winding roller 20 M times generates the circumferential length difference 2 × ΔR × π × M that is a slack of the inner sheet P1. Finally, the slack is accumulated between the third conveyance roller pair 6 and the winding roller 20, and the gap C corresponding to 2 × ΔR × π × M is formed between the two sheets P1 and P2.

In the present embodiment, in order to significantly form the gap C as described above, the two-ply sheet PJ is wound around the winding roller 20 at least once or more.

In the present embodiment, winding the two-ply sheet PJ around the winding roller 20 can separate the two-ply sheet PJ without increasing the size and cost of the sheet separation device 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 5B', the gripper 32 in FIG. 2A is configured to grip the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ without abutting and contacting the end surface of the tip of one end of the gripped portion B.

The “end surface” of the two-ply sheet is defined as a side surface extending in the thickness direction and connecting the front surface and the back surface of the two-ply sheet. Accordingly, there are four end surfaces of the rectangular two-ply sheet on the front, back, left, and right.

Specifically, the gripper 32 is configured to sandwich and grip the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ in a direction perpendicular to the sheet surface of the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ between the gripper 32 and a receiving portion 20 b of the winding roller 20 without causing any member to abut and restrict the end surface of the one end of the two-ply sheet PJ, in other words, without causing any member to hit or contact the end surface of the two-ply sheet PJ. The receiving portion 20 b is disposed on the outer surface of the winding roller 20 and faces the gripper 32. More specifically, the receiving portion 20 b is disposed in a portion recessed inward from a virtual outer peripheral surface of the winding roller 20. The virtual outer peripheral surface is an outer cylindrical surface around which the two-ply sheet PJ is wound.

More specifically, the two-ply sheet PJ is not gripped and sandwiched by the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b in a state in which a specific member such as the gripper 32 abuts on the end surface of the one end (that is the tip of one end) to restrict the end surface. Without abutting the end surface of the one end that is the tip of the one end to any member, the two-ply sheet PJ is sandwiched and gripped by the outer gripper 32 and the inner receiving portion 20 b.

That is, the end surface of the one end (that is the tip of one end) of the two-ply sheet PJ does not abut against an obtuse angle portion (a wedge portion) of the gripper 32 in FIG. 5B', and the gripped portion B on the one end of the two-ply sheet PJ is gripped by the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b. Without abutting on any member, the end surface of the one end (that is the tip of one end) of the two-ply sheet PJ coincides with an end of a contact surface of the receiving portion 20 b at which the gripper 32 contacts the receiving portion 20 b via the two ply sheet PJ, that is, a right end of the contact surface in FIG. 5B'.

The end surface of the one end (that is the tip of one end) of the two-ply sheet PJ may move to the right in FIG. 5B' beyond the contact surface between the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b so that the gripped portion B is inside the sheet from the tip of the one end, that is, the other end side from the tip of the one end. Alternatively, the end surface of the one end (that is the tip of one end) may be on a left point of the contact surface from the right end of the contact surface in FIG. 5B'.

Compared with a structure that abuts the end surface of the tip of the two-ply sheet on a member, the above-described structure can reduce a disadvantage that the two-ply sheet PJ (particularly, the tip of one end) is damaged.

In the present embodiment, the bonding portion A of the two-ply sheet PJ wound around the winding roller 20 is the other end of the two-ply sheet PJ. The other end is opposite to the one end serving as the gripped portion B.

In the present embodiment, at least one of the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b is made of elastic material such as rubber or includes an elastic part such as a spring, or a flat spring. Compared with a sheet separation device including the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b that are rigid bodies made of metal or resin, the above-described sheet separation device can increase a gripping force to grip the two-ply sheet PJ and prevent surfaces of the two-ply sheet PJ from being damaged. In particular, the sheet separation device including the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b made of the elastic material easily exhibits the above-described effect.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A, and 3B, the moving mechanism 30 moves the gripper 32 at the winding start position W of the winding roller 20 between a gripping position (a position illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 3A) at which the gripper 32 can grip the two-ply sheet PJ and a releasing position (a position illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 3B) at which the gripper 32 is released from the gripping position.

Specifically, the moving mechanism 30 includes an arm 31, a compression spring 33 as a biasing member, a cam 34, and a motor that rotates the cam 34 in forward or in reverse.

The arm 31 holds the gripper 32 and is held by the winding roller 20 to be rotatable about a support shaft 31 a. In the present embodiment, the gripper 32 is connected to a base of the arm 31, that is, the tip of arm 31, and the gripper 32 and the arm 31 are made as one part. Alternatively, the gripper 32 and the arm 31 may be made as separate members, and the gripper 32 may be disposed on the arm 31, that is, may be held by the arm 31. In any case, the arm 31 holding the gripper 32 rotates around the rotation shaft 20 a together with the gripper 32 and the winding roller 20.

The compression spring 33 functions as a biasing member that biases the arm 31 so that the gripper 32 moves from the releasing position illustrated in FIG. 2B to the gripping position illustrated in FIG. 2A. Specifically, one end of the compression spring 33 is connected to a fixed part near the rotation shaft 20 a, and the other end of the compression spring 33 is connected to one end of the arm 31 that is a free end opposite to the other end of the arm 31 connected to the gripper 32 with respect to the support shaft 31 a.

The cam 34 pushes the arm 31 against the biasing force of the compression spring 33 as the biasing member so that the gripper 32 moves from the gripping position illustrated in FIG. 2A to the releasing position illustrated in FIG. 2B. A motor controlled by the controller drives the cam 34 to rotate in forward or in reverse at a desired rotation angle. The cam 34 is held by the apparatus housing so as to be rotatable about a cam shaft 34a independently of the winding roller 20.

In the moving mechanism 30 configured as described above, as illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 3A, the arm 31 not contacting the cam 34 is biased by the compression spring 33 and presses the gripper 32 against the receiving portion 20 b. This state is referred to as a closed state.

In contrast, as illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 3B, the arm 31 pressed by the cam 34 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 2B about the support shaft 31 a against the urging force of the compression spring 33 and separates the gripper 32 from the receiving portion 20 b. This state is referred to as an open state. In the open state, the two-ply sheet PJ is not gripped, which is referred to as a grip release state.

When the gripper 32 is at the releasing position to be in the open state, the two-ply sheet PJ enters a space between the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b, and the gripper 32 moves to the gripping position to be in the closed state. As a result, the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b grip the two-ply sheet PJ.

In the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the winding roller 20 includes a plurality of roller portions (i.e. seven roller portions in the present embodiment) having a columnar shape and separated in the axial direction of the winding roller 20. A plurality of grippers 32 and a plurality of arms 31 are disposed at recesses between adjacent roller portions (that are portions between roller portions), respectively. A plurality of cams 34 are disposed to be able to abut against the plurality of arms 31, respectively.

Setting positions separated in the axial direction to grip the two-ply sheet PJ as described above, that is, not setting entire area in the axial direction to grip the two-ply sheet PJ can separate load necessary to grip the two-ply sheet PJ and be scratch resistant at the tip of one end of the two-ply sheet PJ. In addition, the above-described configuration is useful when a necessary gripping force becomes large, for example, when a large-sized two-ply sheet PJ or a heavy two-ply sheet PJ is gripped.

In this embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1 , the third conveyance path K3 is made of linear conveyance guide plates. In contrast, the third conveyance path may be made of curved conveyance guide plates. In such a case, a gripping position at which the winding roller 20 grips the two-ply sheet PJ may be changed to be closer to the rotation shaft 20 a than the gripping position in the present embodiment. Additionally, in such a case, the positions of the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b in the present embodiment may be interchanged, that is, in the winding roller 20, the gripper 32 may be disposed closer to the rotation shaft 20 a than the receiving portion 20 b.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 4D, and 5A, the following describes the fourth sensor 44 in the sheet separation device 1 in the present embodiment. The fourth sensor 44 is the sheet detection sensor to detect two-ply sheet PJ conveyed toward the winding roller 20. Based on results detected by the fourth sensor 44 that is the sheet detection sensor, the controller controls the moving mechanism 30.

Specifically, the fourth sensor 44 is disposed on the conveyance guide of the conveyance path between the winding roller 20 and the third conveyance roller pair 6. As illustrated in FIGS. 4D and 5A, the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ in reverse toward the position of the winding roller 20, so that the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ becomes a front end in the reverse direction conveyance, and the fourth sensor 44 detects the front end of the two-ply sheet PJ conveyed in reverse, that is, the tip of one end of the gripped portion B. The controller uses a timing at which the fourth sensor 44 detects the tip of one end of the gripped portion B as a trigger to adjust and control a timing to stop the two-ply sheet PJ at the gripping position and a timing at which the gripper 32 grips the gripped portion B. Specifically, after a predetermined time has passed since the fourth sensor 44 detected the front end of the two-ply sheet PJ, the third conveyance roller pair 6 stops the reverse direction conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ, and the cam 34 rotates to pivot the arm 31 of the moving mechanism 30 so that the gripper 32 moves from the releasing position illustrated in FIG. 2B to the gripping position illustrated in FIG. 2A.

The above-described control accurately performs an operation in which the end surface of the two-ply sheet PJ is sandwiched by the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b without abutting the end surface of the two-ply sheet PJ on any member.

As described above, the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the tip of one end of the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet as a front end toward the winding start position W of the winding roller 20 in the third conveyance path K3 between the third conveyance roller pair 6 and the winding roller 20.

With reference to FIGS. 6A to 6C, 9, 10A to 10C, and 12 , the separation claws 16 is described.

The separation claws 16 are claw-shaped members that are inserted into the gap C formed between two sheets P1 and P2 and between the winding roller 20 and the third conveyance roller pair 6 from both ends of the two-ply sheet PJ in the width direction of the two-ply sheet PJ in which the one end (that is the gripped portion B) is wound by the winding roller 20 and the other end (that is the bonding portion A) is nipped by the third conveyance roller pair 6.

Specifically, in the present embodiment, the separation claws 16 are disposed at both sides of the conveyance path in the width direction that is the direction perpendicular to a plane on which FIGS. 6A to 6C are illustrated and the horizontal direction in FIG. 9 . The separation claw 16 has a fin extending in the vertical direction and a plate. In a direction in which the separation claw 16 is inserted into the two-ply sheet PJ, the plate has a tip at the center in a width direction of the plate and a back-end. Each of a plate thickness and a plate width in the plate gradually increases from the tip to the back-end. A vertical length of the fin gradually increases from the tip of the fin in the direction in which the separation claw 16 is inserted into the two-ply sheet PJ. The back-ends of the fin and the plate in the separation claw 16 form a cross shape (see FIG. 10A). A pair of separation claws 16 is moved in the width direction of the two-ply sheet PJ by a driving device controlled by the controller so as not to contact each other.

A driving device to move the separation claws 16 in the width direction of the two-ply sheet PJ is described below. As illustrated in FIGS. 16A and 16B, the sheet separation device 1 according to the present embodiment includes two separation claws 16 a and 16 b disposed to face each other. In FIG. 16A, a belt driving device causes the two separation claws 16 a and 16 b to approach or move away from each other. In FIG. 16B, a rack and pinion driving device causes the two separation claws 16 a and 16 b to approach or move away from each other.

Specifically, the belt driving device in FIG. 16A includes a driving pulley 300 a, a driven pulley 300 b, and a belt 320 stretched between the driving pulley 300 a and the driven pulley 300 b. The two separation claws 16 a and 16 b are attached to the belt 320 to face each other. One separation claw 16 a is connected to the lower side of the belt 320, and the other separation claw 16 b is connected to the upper side of the belt 320.

The belt driving device includes a drive transmission gear 340 attached to the driving pulley 300 a. The drive transmission gear 340 receives the rotational driving force of the drive motor 360 via the motor output gear 350 and transmits the rotational driving force to the belt 320.

In FIG. 16A, clockwise rotation of the drive motor 360 causes the separation claws 16 a and 16 b to approach each other, and counterclockwise rotation of the drive motor 360 causes the separation claws 16 a and 16 b to move away from each other.

The rack and pinion driving device in FIG. 16B includes a pinion 400 and two racks 420 a and 420 b extending in opposite directions and meshing with the pinion 400. The two separation claws 16 a and 16 b facing each other are attached to the racks 420 a and 420 b, respectively. The pinion 400 is attached a drive transmission gear 440. The drive transmission gear 440 receives the rotational driving force of the drive motor 460 via the motor output gear 450 and transmits the rotational driving force to the racks 420 a and 420 b.

In FIG. 16B, clockwise rotation of the drive motor 460 causes the separation claws 16 a and 16 b to approach each other, and counterclockwise rotation of the drive motor 460 causes the separation claws 16 a and 16 b to move away from each other.

The separation claws 16 configured as described above stand by at standby positions illustrated in FIG. 10A at which the separation claws 16 do not interfere with the conveyance of the sheet such as the two-ply sheet PJ in the third conveyance path K3 until the gap C is formed in the two-ply sheet PJ as illustrated in FIG. 6A. Subsequently, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10B, the separation claws 16 enter the gap C in the two-ply sheet PJ when the two-ply sheet PJ (configured by two sheets P1 and P2) is separated. As a result, the separation claws 16 secure the gap C to be large.

With reference to FIG. 12 , a position of the separation claw 16 in the present embodiment is described. The separation claw 16 is disposed on the side at which the winding roller 20 is disposed with respect to the imaginary plane S1 that includes the nip N of the third conveyance roller pair 6 and touches the winding roller 20 on the side at which the two-ply sheet PJ starts to be wound around the winding roller 20 that is the side indicated by the white arrow and not the side indicated by the black arrow in FIG. 12 . In other words, the separation claw 16 is disposed in a space that is bounded by the imaginary plane S1 and includes the winding roller 20, and the imaginary plane passes through the nip of the third conveyance roller pair 6 and the winding start position W at which the two-ply sheet PJ starts to be wound around the winding roller.

When viewed from the rotation axis direction of the winding roller 20, the winding start position W is a tangent point at which the winding roller 20 touches the imaginary plane S1. The imaginary plane S1 includes a tangent of the winding roller 20 at a predetermined position on the side at which the two-ply sheet PJ starts to be wound around the winding roller 20. The imaginary plane S1 is a plane connecting the winding start position W and the nip N of the third conveyance roller pair 6 (more specifically, an end point of the nip N, which is the end point near the winding roller 20). That is, the imaginary plane S1 represents the two-ply sheet PJ having one end wound around the winding roller 20 and the other end nipped by the third conveyance roller pair 6 and pulled by the winding roller 20 and the third conveyance roller pair 6. The separation claw 16 is disposed on the side at which the winding roller 20 is disposed with respect to the imaginary plane S1 (the side indicated by the white arrow in FIG. 12 ) above the third conveyance path K3.

More specifically, when viewed in a cross section orthogonal to the axial direction, the separation claw 16 is disposed above the imaginary plane S1 in FIG. 12 . In addition, the separation claw 16 is disposed between the two branched conveyance paths K4 and K5 and the third conveyance roller pair 6 (see FIG. 1 ).

As described above, the separation claw 16 is arranged on the side at which the winding roller 20 is disposed with respect to the imaginary plane S1 that represents the sheet P2 of the two-ply sheet PJ in FIG. 6B. As a result, the separation claw 16 easily enters the gap C between the two sheets P1 and P2. The above-described configuration can prevent a disadvantage that the separation claw 16 is not inserted into the gap C between the two sheets P1 and P2 and cannot separate the two sheets P1 and P2. The above-described mechanism including the winding roller 20 winding the two-ply sheet and the separation claws 16 inserted into the two-ply sheet PJ to separate the two-ply sheet PJ can reduce the size of the sheet separation device as compared with a mechanism using a large-scale device such as a vacuum device to separate the two-ply sheet PJ. That is, without increasing the size of the sheet separation device 1, the above-described mechanism can satisfactorily separate the two sheets P1 and P2 constituting the two-ply sheet PJ.

Additionally, with reference to FIG. 12 , the separation claw 16 is preferably disposed in a region sandwiched between two imaginary contact planes S1 and S2 that are one imaginary contact plane S1 passing through the nip N of the third conveyance roller pair 6 and one tangent point of the outer peripheral surface of the winding roller 20 and the other imaginary contact plane S2 passing through the nip N of the third conveyance roller pair 6 and the other tangent point of the outer peripheral surface of the winding roller 20. That is, since the outer peripheral surface of the upper roller in the third conveyance roller pair 6 limits bending the two-ply sheet PJ upward, the separation claw 16 is preferably disposed below the imaginary contact plane S2 and in a region sandwiched between the two imaginary contact planes S1 and S2.

Alternatively, in FIG. 12 , in a sheet separation device having a sheet conveyance path including the second imaginary plane S2 and the winding roller 20 rotating clockwise to wind the two-ply sheet PJ around the winding roller 20, the winding roller 20 rotates clockwise to wind the two-ply sheet PJ around the winding roller 20 from the winding start position Z of the winding roller 20. In the sheet separation device described above, the separation claw 16 is disposed on the side at which the winding roller 20 is disposed with respect to the second imaginary contact plane S2 (that is the imaginary plane), that is, on the lower side from the second imaginary plane S2. That is, even when the winding roller 20 rotates in forward and in reverse, disposing the separation claw 16 in the region sandwiched between the two imaginary contact planes S1 and S2 (that are imaginary planes) to wind the two-ply sheet PJ around the winding roller 20 and separate the two-ply sheet PJ enables the separation claw 16 to satisfactorily separate the two sheets P1 and P2.

With reference to FIGS. 7A to 7C, the switching claws 15 are described. The switching claws 15 are disposed between the separation claws 16 and the winding roller 20. The two-ply sheet PJ is separated into the two sheets P1 and P2 by the separation claws 16, and the two sheets P1 and P2 are given stiffness. The switching claws 15 separately guides the two sheets P1 and P2 to the two branched conveyance paths K4 and K5, respectively. The two branched conveyance paths K4 and K5 are branched from the third conveyance path K3 in different directions, and the third conveyance path K3 sandwiched by the two branched conveyance paths K4 and K5. The switching claws 15 are claw-shaped moving members and rotate in forward or in reverse within a range of a predetermined angle to guide the two-ply sheet PJ. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the switching claws 15 are a plurality of claws divided with a gap therebetween in the width direction that is the direction perpendicular to a plane on which FIGS. 7A to 7C are illustrated. The switching claws 15 are configured to be rotatable about a support shaft. The controller controls a driving device that rotates the switching claws 15.

The switching claws 15 configured as described above stand by at standby positions as illustrated in FIG. 7A at which the switching claws 15 do not interfere with the conveyance of the sheets such as the two-ply sheet PJ in the third conveyance path K3 before the switching claws 15 guide the sheets P1 and P2 with stiffness that are separated from the two-ply sheet PJ by the separation claws 16 to the branched conveyance paths K4 and K5. When the switching claws 15 guide the two sheets P1 and P2 separated from the two-ply sheet PJ by the separation claws 16 to the branched conveyance paths K4 and K5, respectively, the switching claws 15 rotate to positions at which the switching claws 15 prevent the two-ply sheet PJ from entering the third conveyance path K3 when viewed from the two-ply sheet PJ as illustrated in FIG. 7B. As a result, the first sheet P1 is guided to the first branched conveyance path K4, and the second sheet P2 is guided to the second branched conveyance path K5.

Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 7A, the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the other end of the two-ply sheet PJ to the left side in FIG. 7A after the separation claws 16 are inserted into the gap C until the winding of the one end of the two-ply sheet PJ on the winding roller 20 is released. After the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ as illustrated in FIG. 7B, the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the one end of the two-ply sheet PJ to the right side as illustrated in FIG. 7C again, and the switching claws 15 guide the first sheet P1 separated by the separation claws 16 to the first branched conveyance path K4 and guide the second sheet P2 to the second branched conveyance path K5. Subsequently, as illustrated in FIGS. 8A to 8C, the second conveyance roller pair 5 conveys the insertion sheet PM to the third conveyance path K3, that is, the right side in FIGS. 8A to 8C to insert the insertion sheet PM between the two sheets P1 and P2 separated from the two-ply sheet PJ.

With reference to FIGS. 6A to 6C, the first guide 25 is described below. The first guide 25 is disposed between the separation claws 16 (see FIG. 6B) and the winding roller 20 in the third conveyance path K3 and functions as the inner limiter to limit an amount of slack of the first sheet P1 that is an inner sheet of the two sheet P1 and P2 of the two-ply sheet PJ wound around the winding roller 20.

Specifically, the first guide 25 as the inner limiter is the conveyance guide disposed on the side in which the winding roller 20 is disposed with respect to the imaginary plane S1 (see FIG. 12 ), that is, the upper side indicated by a white arrow in FIG. 12 , in the third conveyance path. In other words, the first guide 25 as the inner limiter is disposed in the space bounded by the imaginary plane S1 and including the winding roller 20. The first guide 25 has a curved surface that covers a part of the outer circumferential surface of the winding roller 20 and functions as the conveyance guide of the third conveyance path K3 and the conveyance guide of the first branched conveyance path K4 (see FIG. 1 ). That is, the first guide 25 guides the sheet conveyed on the third conveyance path K3 and the sheet conveyed on the first branched conveyance path K4.

In the third conveyance path K3, the first guide 25 limits bending the two-ply sheet PJ upward (that is, bending the first sheet P1 upward. Note that the sheet P1 is nearer to the surface of the winding roller 20 than the second sheet P2) between the winding roller 20 and the third conveyance roller pair 6. Therefore, the gap C in the two-ply sheet PJ that is mainly formed by bending the first sheet P1 upward is intensively formed between the first guide 25 and the third conveyance roller pair 6. Accordingly, the separation claws 16 can enter the gap C to satisfactorily separate the two sheets P1 and P2constituting two-ply sheet PJ.

With reference to FIGS. 6A to 6C, the second guide 26 is described below. The second guide 26 is disposed between the separation claws 16 (see FIG. 6B) and the winding roller 20 in the third conveyance path K3 and functions as the outer limiter to limit an amount of slack of the second sheet P2 that is an outer sheet of the two sheets P1 and P2 of the two-ply sheet PJ wound around the winding roller 20. The slack of the second sheet P2 is caused by variation in rotations of the winding roller 20 and the third conveyance roller pair 6.

Specifically, the second guide 26 as the outer limiter is the conveyance guide disposed on the side in which the winding roller 20 is not disposed with respect to the imaginary plane S1 (see FIG. 12 ), that is, the lower side indicated by a black arrow in FIG. 12 , in the third conveyance path. In other words, the second guide 26 as the outer limiter is disposed in a space bounded by the imaginary plane S1 and not including the winding roller 20. The second guide 26 is disposed to face the lower surface of the sheet from a portion upstream from the second conveyance roller pair 5 to an entrance of the second branched conveyance path K5 that is the fifth conveyance path in the forward direction (see FIG. 1 ). That is, the second guide 26 guides the sheet conveyed on the third conveyance path K3.

In the third conveyance path K3, the two-ply sheet PJ may bend downward (in particular, the second sheet P2 may bend downward) between the winding roller 20 and the third conveyance roller pair 6. The two-ply sheet PJ bends downward when the winding roller 20 winds the two-ply sheet PJ up counterclockwise and when a conveyance speed at which the winding roller 20 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ is slower than a conveyance speed at which the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ. Since the second guide 26 limits bending the two-ply sheet PJ downward when the two-ply sheet bends downward, the gap C in the two-ply sheet PJ that is mainly formed by bending the first sheet P1 upward is intensively formed in a region in which the winding roller 20 is disposed with respect to the imaginary plane S1 (see FIG. 12 ), that is, an upper region indicated by the white arrow in FIG. 12 . Accordingly, the separation claws 16 can enter the gap C to satisfactorily separate the two sheets P1 and P2constituting two-ply sheet PJ.

With reference to FIGS. 4A to 8C, the following describes operations of the sheet separation device 1 to separate the two-ply sheet PJ.

In the description of the operations, operations of the separation claws 16 is appropriately described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10C, and the control flow is described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 11 , that is, FIGS. 11A and 11B.

After the first feed roller 2 starts feeding the two-ply sheet PJ on the first feed tray 11 in step S1 of FIG. 11A, as illustrated in FIG. 4A, the second conveyance roller pair 5 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ with the bonding portion A as a front end in the forward direction that is a direction from the right side to the left side in FIG. 4A in the third conveyance path K3.

At this time, the controller controls the moving mechanism 30 so that the gripper 32 is positioned at the gripping position inside the outer periphery of the winding roller 20. That is, the cam 34 rotates to move to a position at which the cam 34 does not push the arm 31. When the gripper 32 is positioned at the gripping position as described above, the gripper 32 does not interfere the sheet conveyance in the third conveyance path K3. In addition, the free end of the switching claws 15 rotate downward and stand by at the standby positions at which the switching claws 15 do not interfere with the conveyance of the sheets in the third conveyance path K3.

Subsequently, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ in the forward direction until the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ (that is the one end of the two-ply sheet PJ and a back end of the two-ply sheet PJ conveyed in the forward direction) passes through the position of the winding roller 20. After the two-ply sheet PJ is further conveyed in the forward direction, the third conveyance roller pair 6 stops the conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ as illustrated in FIG. 4C. In order to determine the timing to stop the conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ, the controller uses the timing at which the third sensor 43 detects the bonding portion A of the two-ply sheet PJ (that is a front end of the two-ply sheet PJ conveyed in the forward direction and the other end of the two-ply sheet PJ) as a trigger in step S2 of FIG. 11A. After the timing, that is, after the third sensor 43 detects the bonding portion A of the two-ply sheet PJ, the controller determines whether the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ by a predetermined amount X1 in step S3 of FIG. 11A and stops the conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ at the timing at which the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ by a predetermined amount X1.

When the third conveyance roller pair 6 temporarily stops the conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ, as illustrated in FIG. 4C, the gripper 32 moves from the gripping position to the releasing position in step S4 of FIG. 11A. That is, the cam 34 rotates to move to a position at which the cam 34 pushes the arm 31. In this state, the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ can be received between the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 4D, the third conveyance roller pair 6 rotates in reverse to start conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ in the reverse direction in step S5 of FIG. 11A. At this time, in order to convey the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ to the gripping position of the gripper 32 in the winding roller 20, the fourth sensor 44 detects the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ that is the one end of the two-ply sheet PJ and the front end of the two-ply sheet PJ conveyed in the reverse direction.

Subsequently, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, the controller uses the timing at which the fourth sensor 44 detects the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ as a trigger in step S6 of FIG. 11A and stops the conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ in step S7 of FIG. 11A at a timing at which the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ by a predetermined amount X2 that is a timing at which the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ reaches a predetermined rotational position of the winding roller 20 that is the winding start position W. As illustrated in FIG. 5B, the gripper 32 is moved from the releasing position to the gripping position at the predetermined rotational position of the winding roller 20 in step S8 of FIG. 11A. That is, the cam 34 rotates to move to the position at which the cam does not push the arm 31. In step S8, as illustrated in FIG. 5B', the end surface of the one end of the two-ply sheet PJ does not abut on any member, and the gripped portion B is gripped between the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b. The winding start position W in FIG. 12 is the position of the outer peripheral surface of the winding roller 20 at the predetermined rotational position. However, at the releasing position in FIG. 5A and the gripping position in FIG. 5B, the outer peripheral surface itself of the winding roller 20 does not exist. Therefore, the winding start position W is a position on an imaginary outer peripheral surface of the winding roller 20.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 5C, the winding roller 20 rotates in reverse (that is, counterclockwise) when the gripper 32 grips the two-ply sheet PJ, and, at the same time, the third conveyance roller pair 6 rotates in reverse again. As the winding roller 20 rotates, the gap C is formed between the two sheets P1 and P2 of the two-ply sheet PJ between the winding roller 20 and the third conveyance roller pair 6 as illustrated in FIG. 5D. While the gap C is formed, the first guide 25 and the second guide 26 limit the bend of the two-ply sheet PJ in the vicinity of the winding roller 20. Accordingly, the gap C of the two-ply sheet PJ is intensively formed near the third conveyance roller pair 6. The gap C is largely formed above the imaginary plane S1 (see FIG. 12 ) described above.

As described above, the fourth sensor 44 detects the front end of the two-ply sheet PJ conveyed in reverse. The fourth sensor 44 is disposed between the third conveyance roller pair 6 and the winding roller 20 and downstream in the reverse direction from the third conveyance roller pair 6. Since the controller uses the timing at which the fourth sensor 44 detects the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ conveyed in reverse as the trigger to determine the timing at which the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b grip the gripped portion B, the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ can be accurately conveyed to a desired gripping position regardless of variations in sheet lengths with respect to the sheet conveyance amount X2 (Note that the size of sheets includes an error even if the sheets are sold as the same size).

Disposing the fourth sensor 44 near the winding roller 20 between the third conveyance roller pair 6 and the winding roller 20 can shorten the sheet conveyance amount X2 regardless of the sheet length because the sheet conveyance amount X2 is measured since the fourth sensor 44 detects the front end of the two-ply sheet PJ conveyed in the reverse direction. The above-described configuration can reduce variation in the sheet conveyance amount X2 and enables an accurate conveyance of the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ to the desired gripping position. Accordingly, the fourth sensor 44 is preferably disposed near the winding roller 20.

In step S9 of FIG. 11A, after the third conveyance roller pair 6 continues to rotate in reverse and the winding roller 20 starts the winding of the two-ply sheet PJ as illustrated in FIG. 5D, the third conveyance roller pair 6 stops the conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ and the winding roller 20 stops the winding of the two-ply sheet PJ at the timing at which the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet by a predetermined amount X3 as illustrated in FIG. 6A. In this state, the two-ply sheet PJ is wound around the winding roller 20 one or more times, and the gap C in the two-ply sheet PJ is sufficiently widened. In addition, the bonding portion A of the two-ply sheet PJ is sandwiched by the third conveyance roller pair 6.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 6B, the separation claws 16 are inserted into the gap C in the two-ply sheet PJ that is sufficiently widened in step S10 of FIG. 11A. That is, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10A, each of the pair of separation claws 16 is moved from the standby position in FIG. 10A to a position in FIG. 10B to separate the two-ply sheet PJ.

When the separation claws 16 move as described above, the pair of separation claws 16 can smoothly enter the gap C formed above the imaginary plane S1 described above because the pair of separation claws 16 are disposed to be movable in the width direction above the imaginary plane S1 (see FIG. 12 ).

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 6C, the third conveyance roller pair 6 and the winding roller 20 start rotating in forward, that is, clockwise in step S11 of FIG. 11A after the separation claws 16 are inserted into the gap C. At this time, the bonding portion A may not be sandwiched by the third conveyance roller pair 6 when rotations of the winding roller 20 in forward (clockwise) can convey the two-ply sheet PJ. That is, the rotations of the winding roller 20 in forward may convey the bonding portion A of the two-ply sheet PJ to the third conveyance roller pair 6, the bonding portion A may be sandwiched by the third conveyance roller pair 6, and the third conveyance roller pair 6 may convey the two-ply sheet PJ.

In step S12 of FIG. 11B, as illustrated in FIG. 7A, the controller stops forward rotation in the third conveyance roller pair 6 and forward rotation in the winding roller 20 after the forward rotation in the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ by a predetermined amount of X4. At this time, the two-ply sheet PJ is not wound around the gripper 32, and the gripper 32 can release the gripping of the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ at the winding start position W. That is, at the winding start position W, the gripper 32 can move from the gripping position at which the gripper 32 grips the gripped portion B to the releasing position.

In this state, the gripper 32 moves from the gripping position to the releasing position so that the gripper 32 is in the third conveyance path K3 in step S13 of FIG. 11B. That is, the cam 34 rotates as illustrated in FIG. 2B to move to the position at which the cam 34 pushes the arm 31. The gripper 32 releases gripping the two-ply sheet PJ. In the present embodiment, the cam 34 in the moving mechanism 30 moves to release the gripping of the gripper 32, but the third conveyance roller pair 6 may pull the two-ply sheet from the gripper 32 to release the gripping and convey the two-ply sheet without the above-described movement of the cam 34 in the moving mechanism 30 when a pulling force due to the conveyance of the third conveyance roller pair 6 is larger than a force of the gripper 32 that grips the tow-ply sheet PJ.

In step S14 of FIG. 11B, as illustrated in FIG. 7B, the third conveyance roller pair 6 again rotates in forward to start conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ in the forward direction. At this time, the fourth sensor 44 detects the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ that is the one end of the two-ply sheet PJ and the back end of the two-ply sheet PJ conveyed in the forward direction to stop the gripped portion B near the separation claws 16. In addition, the gripper 32 moves from the releasing position to the gripping position, and the switching claws 15 rotates clockwise from the standby position to a switching position after the gripped portion B of the two-ply sheet PJ that is the one end of the two-ply sheet PJ and the back end of the two-ply sheet PJ passes over the switching claws 15. When the gripped portion B that is the back end of the two-ply sheet PJ conveyed in the forward direction reaches the vicinity of the separation claws 16 as illustrated in FIG. 7B, back ends of the two sheets P1 and P2 are largely separated and opened (see FIG. 10C).

The controller determines whether the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ by a predetermined amount X5 after the timing, as a trigger, at which the fourth sensor 44 detects the back end of the two-ply sheet PJ conveyed in the forward direction in step S15 of FIG. 11B and stops the conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ when the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ by the predetermined amount X5. In step S16 of FIG. 11B, the third conveyance roller pair 6 rotates in reverse to start a conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ in the reverse direction as illustrated in FIG. 7C. At this time, since the free ends of the switching claws 15 are disposed at the switching positions at which the switching claws 15 block the two-ply sheet PJ moving to the third conveyance path K3, the two sheets P1 and P2 separated each other are guided to the two branched conveyance paths K4 and K5, respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 7C. At this time, the fifth sensor 45 (see FIG. 1 ) detects the bonding portion A of the two-ply sheet PJ that is the other end of the two-ply sheet PJ and the back end of the two-ply sheet PJ conveyed in the reverse direction to stop the conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ so that the vicinity of the bonding portion A in the two-ply sheet PJ is nipped by the third conveyance roller pair 6.

Subsequently, the controller uses, as a trigger, the timing at which the fifth sensor 45 (see FIG. 1 ) detects the back end of the two-ply sheet PJ conveyed in the reverse direction that is the bonding portion A in step S17 of FIG. 11B and stops the conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ at a timing at which the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ by a predetermined amount X6 as illustrated in FIG. 8A in step S18 of FIG. 11B. When the third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ by the predetermined amount X6, the bonding portion A of the two-ply sheet PJ is in the nip of the third conveyance roller pair 6 or at a position slightly leftward and downstream from the nip. That is, the third conveyance roller pair 6 nips the other end of the two-ply sheet PJ.

Subsequently, as illustrated in FIG. 8A, the controller starts feeding the insertion sheet PM from the second feed tray 12 (see FIG. 1 ) in step S19 of FIG. 11B. At this time, the third sensor 43 detects the front end of the insertion sheet PM conveyed in the forward direction that is also referred to as the other end of the insertion sheet PM. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 8B, the separation claw 16 moves to the standby position.

Subsequently, the controller uses the timing at which the third sensor 43 detects the front end of the insertion sheet PM as a trigger in step S20 of FIG. 11B. After the second conveyance roller pair 5 conveys the insertion sheet PM by a predetermined amount X7 since the third sensor 43 detects the front end of the insertion sheet PM, the third conveyance roller pair 6 again starts the conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ in the forward direction in step S21 of FIG. 11B as illustrated in FIG. 8C. At this time, the insertion sheet PM is accurately sandwiched at a desired position between the two sheets P1 and P2.

Thus, the controller ends processes to insert the insertion sheet PM between the two sheets P1 and P2 in the two-ply sheet PJ. The third conveyance roller pair 6 conveys the two-ply sheet PJ with the insertion sheet PM inserted therein in the forward direction, and the two-ply sheet PJ with the insertion sheet PM inserted therein is placed on the ejection tray 13 (see FIG. 1 ).

The sheet separation device 1 in the present embodiment forms the gap C between the two sheets P1 and P2 of the two-ply sheet PJ at the non-bonding portion near the bonding portion A in the state illustrated in FIG. 6A to separate (peel) the two sheets P1 and P2.

In contrast, the bonding portion A may be set as the gripped portion in the state illustrated in FIG. 6A if the third conveyance roller pair 6 nips the two-ply sheet PJ with sufficiently strong force. That is, in FIGS. 5A to 5D, the bonding portion A of the two-ply sheet PJ is gripped by the gripper 32 and the receiving portion 20 b, the two-ply sheet PJ is wound around the winding roller 20, and the non-bonding portion is nipped and conveyed by the third conveyance roller pair 6. At this time, the sheets P1 and P2 of the two-ply sheet PJ are conveyed in synchronization with each other without slipping by the rotation of the third conveyance roller pair 6. For example, increasing the nip pressure of the third conveyance roller pair 6, using roller material having a large coefficient of friction, or controlling the driving of the third conveyance roller pair 6 using various kinds of methods reduces slippage of the two sheets P1 and P2 to be less likely to occur, and the two sheets P1 and P2 can be separated (peeled) by forming a desired gap C in the two-ply sheet PJ. The above-described configuration can also reduce the number of times of conveyance of the two-ply sheet PJ until the insertion sheet PM is inserted into the two-ply sheet PJ.

Next, a first variation is described. As illustrated in FIG. 13 , a laminator 50 as the first variation includes the sheet separation device 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 .

The laminator 50 includes a lamination processor 51 downstream from the third conveyance roller pair 6 in the sheet separation device 1 in the forward direction. The lamination processor 51 performs a laminating process on the two-ply sheet PJ in which the insertion sheet PM is inserted between the two sheets P1 and P2 separated by the sheet separation device 1.

The lamination processor 51 includes a plurality of heat and pressure roller pairs that apply heat and pressure to the two-ply sheet PJ while conveying, in the forward direction, the two-ply sheet PJ into which the insertion sheet PM is inserted. The two-ply sheet PJ into which the insertion sheet PM is inserted inside passes through the lamination processor 51, and the entire region of the two-ply sheet PJ is joined. The two-ply sheet PJ subjected to the laminating process described above is ejected to the outside of the lamination processor 51 by an ejection roller pair 7 and is placed on the ejection tray 13.

As described above, the laminator 50 according to the first variation performs a process to feed the sheets PJ and PM, a process to separate the two sheets P1 and P2 in the two-ply sheet PJ, a process to insert the insertion sheet PM into the space between the two separated sheets P1 and P2, and a process to perform the laminating process on the two-ply sheet PJ in which the insertion sheet PM is inserted, as a sequence of processes, thus enhancing the convenience for a user.

Since a part of the two-ply sheet PJ including a damaged front end surface is hard for the laminating process, the configuration of the present disclosure is useful.

Next, a second variation is described. As illustrated in FIG. 14 , an image forming apparatus 100 as the second variation includes the laminator 50 illustrated in FIG. 13 and an image forming apparatus main body that forms an image on a sheet P.

With reference to FIG. 14 , in the image forming apparatus 100, multiple pairs of sheet conveying rollers disposed in the document feeder 110 feeds the original document D from a document loading table and conveys the original document D in a direction indicated by arrow in FIG. 14 , and the original document D passes over the document reading device 102. The document reading device 102 optically reads image data of the original document D passing over the document reading device 102.

The image data optically read by the document reading device 102 is converted into electric signals and transmitted to a writing device 103. The writing device 103 emits laser beams onto the photoconductor drums 105Y, 105M, 105C, and 105K based on the electric signals of the image data in each of colors, respectively, performing an exposure process.

On the photoconductor drums 105Y, 105M, 105C, and 105K of the image forming units 104Y, 104M, 104C, and 104K, a charging process, the exposure process, and a developing process are performed to form desired images on the photoconductor drums 105Y, 105M, 105C, and 105K, respectively.

The images formed on the photoconductor drums 105Y, 105M, 105C, and 105K are transferred and superimposed onto the intermediate transfer belt 178 to form a color image. The color image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 178 is transferred to the surface of a sheet P (which is a sheet to be the insertion sheet PM) fed and conveyed by a feed roller 197 from a feeding device 112 at a position at which the intermediate transfer belt 178 faces the secondary transfer roller 189.

After the color image is transferred onto the surface of the sheet P (that is the insertion sheet PM), the sheet P is conveyed to the position of a fixing device 120. The fixing device 120 fixes the transferred color image on the sheet P.

Thereafter, the sheet P is ejected from the image forming apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus 100 by an ejection roller pair 131 and is fed into the laminator 50 as the insertion sheet PM. When the laminator 50 including the sheet separation device 1 receives the insertion sheet PM, the laminator 50 has completed the process described with reference to FIGS. 4A to 7C (that is, the process to separate the two-ply sheet PJ) and performs the process described with reference to FIGS. 8A to 8C (that is, the process to insert the insertion sheet PM into the two-ply sheet PJ) after the laminator 50 (the sheet separation device 1) receives the insertion sheet PM. After the lamination processor 51 performs the laminating process on the two-ply sheet PJ into which the insertion sheet PM is inserted, the ejection roller pair 7 ejects the two-ply sheet PJ to the outside of the lamination processor 51 to place the two-ply sheet PJ on the ejection tray 13.

As described above, a series of image formation processes (i.e. printing operations) in the image forming apparatus 100 and a series of sheet separation processes and the laminating process using the insertion sheet PM on which the image is formed are completed. In the second variation, the image forming apparatus 100 includes the laminator 50, but may include the sheet separation device 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 .

The image forming apparatus 100 according to the second variation of the present disclosure is a color image forming apparatus but may be a monochrome image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus 100 according to the second variation of the present disclosure employs electrophotography, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The present disclosure may be applied to other types of image forming apparatuses such as an inkjet image forming apparatus and a stencil printing machine.

A third variation is described. As illustrated in FIG. 15 , an image forming system 200 according to the third variation includes the image forming apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. 14 that forms the image on the sheet P and the laminator 50 illustrated in FIG. 13 , and the laminator 50 is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus 100.

In the image forming system 200 illustrated in FIG. 15 , the image forming apparatus 100 performs the image formation described above with reference to FIG. 13 and ejects the sheet P (that is the insertion sheet formed a desired image) from the ejection roller pair 131 to the laminator 50, and the laminator 50 performs the laminating process on the two-ply sheet PJ into which the insertion sheet PM has been inserted, and the ejection roller pair 7 ejects the two-ply sheet PJ to the outside of the laminator 50 to place the two-ply sheet PJ on the ejection tray 13.

When the user does not select a laminating process mode as described above, the image forming apparatus 100 in the image forming system 200 ejects the sheet P formed the image by the image formation process from a second ejection roller pair 132 to the outside of the image forming apparatus 100 to place the sheet P on a second ejection tray 150.

The laminator 50 is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus 100 and can be detached from the image forming apparatus 100 when the laminator 50 is not necessary. The image forming apparatus 100 from which the laminator 50 is detached uses a placement surface 149 to place the laminator 50 as an ejection tray to place the sheet P formed the image by the image formation process and ejected from the ejection roller pair 131 to the outside of the image forming apparatus 100.

In the third variation, the image forming system 200 includes the detachable laminator 50. However, the image forming system 200 may include the sheet separation device 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 detachable.

As described above, the sheet separation device 1 according to the present embodiment separates the non-bonding portion of the two-ply sheet PJ in which the two sheets P1 and P2 are overlapped and bonded at the bonding portion A and includes the winding roller 20 that rotates in a predetermined rotation direction to wind the two-ply sheet PJ, the third conveyance roller pair 6 to convey the two-ply sheet PJ toward the winding roller 20, and the separation claws 16 inserted into the gap C formed between the two sheets P1 and P2 between the winding roller 20 and the third conveyance roller pair 6. The separation claw 16 is disposed on the side at which the winding roller 20 is disposed with respect to the imaginary plane S1 that includes the nip N of the third conveyance roller pair 6 and touches the winding roller 20 on the side at which the two-ply sheet PJ starts to be wound around the winding roller 20.

Thus, without increasing the size of the sheet separation device 1, the above-described mechanism can satisfactorily separate the two sheets P1 and P2 constituting the superimposed sheet PJ.

The above-described embodiments are illustrative and do not limit this disclosure. Thus, numerous additional modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, elements at least one of features of different illustrative and exemplary embodiments herein may be combined with each other at least one of substituted for each other within the scope of this disclosure and appended claims. The number, position, and shape of the components described above are not limited to those embodiments described above. Desirable number, position, and shape can be determined to perform the present disclosure.

Each of the functions of the described embodiments may be implemented by one or more processing circuits or circuitry. Processing circuitry includes a programmed processor, as a processor includes circuitry. A processing circuit also includes devices such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA), and conventional circuit components arranged to perform the recited functions.

This patent application is based on and claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-048396, filed on Mar. 18, 2020, in the Japan Patent Office, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   1 Sheet separation device -   4 First conveyance roller pair -   5 Second conveyance roller pair -   6 Third conveyance roller pair (Conveyance roller pair) -   15 Switching claw (Switching member) -   16 Separation claw (Separation member) -   20 Winding roller -   20 a Rotation shaft -   20 b Receiving portion -   25 First guide (Inner limiter) -   26 Second guide (outer limiter) -   30 Moving mechanism -   31 Arm -   31 a Support shaft -   32 Gripper -   33 Compression spring (biasing member) -   34 Cam -   41 First sensor -   42 Second sensor -   43 Third sensor -   44 Fourth sensor (Sheet detection sensor) -   45 Fifth sensor -   50 Laminator -   100 Image forming apparatus (Image forming apparatus main body) -   200 Image forming system -   P, P1, P2 Sheet -   PM Insertion sheet -   PJ Two-ply sheet -   A Bonding portion -   B Gripped portion -   C Gap -   N Nip -   W Winding start position -   S1 Imaginary plane (Imaginary contact plane) -   S2 Imaginary contact plane. 

1. A sheet separation device configured to separate a non-bonding portion of a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet, the sheet separation device comprising: a winding roller configured to rotate and wind the two-ply sheet; a conveyance roller pair configured to convey the two-ply sheet toward the winding roller; and a separation claw configured to be inserted into a gap between the two sheets at a position between the winding roller and the conveyance roller pair, the separation claw being disposed in a space that is bounded by an imaginary plane and includes the winding roller, the imaginary plane passing through a nip of the conveyance roller pair and a winding start position at which the two-ply sheet starts to be wound around the winding roller.
 2. The sheet separation device according to claim 1, wherein the separation claw is configured to be inserted from an end of the two-ply sheet in a width direction of the two-ply sheet into the gap between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet with one end of the two-ply sheet being wound around the winding roller and another end of the two-ply sheet being nipped by the conveyance roller pair.
 3. The sheet separation device according to claim 1, wherein the separation claw is disposed in a region sandwiched between one imaginary contact plane passing through the nip of the conveyance roller pair and one tangent point of an outer peripheral surface of the winding roller and another imaginary contact plane passing through the nip of the conveyance roller pair and another tangent point of the outer peripheral surface of the winding roller.
 4. The sheet separation device according to claim 1, further comprising: an inner limiter between the separation claw and the winding roller and configured to limit an amount of slack of an inner sheet of the two sheets wound around the winding roller.
 5. The sheet separation device according to claim 4, wherein the inner limiter is a conveyance guide in the space that is bounded by the imaginary plane and includes the winding roller.
 6. The sheet separation device according to claim 1, further comprising an outer limiter between the separation claw and the winding roller and configured to limit an amount of slack of an outer sheet of the two sheets wound around the winding roller.
 7. The sheet separation device according to claim 6, wherein the outer limiter is a conveyance guide in a space that is bounded by the imaginary plane and does not include the winding roller.
 8. The sheet separation device according to claim 1, further comprising: a receiving portion of the winding roller; a gripper configured to grip one end of the two-ply sheet with the receiving portion at the winding start position; and a switching claw between the separation claw and the winding roller and configured to guide the two sheets in different directions.
 9. The sheet separation device according to claim 8, further comprising another conveyance roller pair configured to convey and insert an insertion sheet into a space between the two sheets separated by the separation claw, wherein the conveyance roller pair is configured to convey the two-ply sheet to release the one end of the two-ply sheet wound around the winding roller from the winding roller after the separation claw is inserted into the gap and subsequently convey the two-ply sheet toward the switching claw, wherein the switching claw is configured to guide, in the different directions, the two sheets separated by the separation claw and conveyed by the conveyance roller pair, and wherein said another conveyance roller pair is configured to convey the insertion sheet to insert the insertion sheet between the two sheets guided in the different directions.
 10. The sheet separation device according to claim 8, further comprising: a moving mechanism configured to move the gripper between a gripping position at which the gripper grips the two-ply sheet and a releasing position at which the gripper is released from the gripping position.
 11. The sheet separation device according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance roller pair is configured to convey the two-ply sheet in such a manner that one end of the two-ply sheet is wound around the winding roller with the bonding portion being at the other end opposite the one end.
 12. A laminator comprising: the sheet separation device according to claim 1, and a lamination processor configured to perform a laminating process on the two-ply sheet including an insertion sheet inserted between the two sheets separated by the sheet separation device.
 13. An image forming apparatus comprising: the sheet separation device according to claim 1; and an image forming apparatus main body configured to form an image on a sheet.
 14. An image forming system comprising: an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, and the sheet separation device according to claim 1 detachably attached to the image forming apparatus.
 15. An image forming apparatus comprising: the laminator according to claim 12; and an image forming apparatus main body configured to form an image on a sheet.
 16. An image forming system comprising: an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, and the laminator according to claim 12 detachably attached to the image forming apparatus. 